Jennie's Hat

Jennie's favorite aunt is sending her a new hat, and Jennie is sure it will be beautiful. But when the box arrives, the hat inside is very plain. She had imagined a wonderful hat with big colorful flowers and even tries to make her own hat from a straw basket! Jennie is almost ready to give up on her dream when she receives a fanciful surprise from some very

Overview

Jennie's favorite aunt is sending her a new hat, and Jennie is sure it will be beautiful. But when the box arrives, the hat inside is very plain. She had imagined a wonderful hat with big colorful flowers and even tries to make her own hat from a straw basket! Jennie is almost ready to give up on her dream when she receives a fanciful surprise from some very special friends. Ezra Jack Keats's timelessly charming illustrations will leave readers wishing for a dream hat of their own.

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Editorial Reviews

Horn Book

Certain to enchant little girls.

Publishers Weekly

In Ezra Jack Keats's mixed-media collage conveys the miraculous transformation of Jennie's Hat (1966), from a plain, broad-brimmed number to something stylish, with a bit of help from her feathered friends.

Children's Literature

As Jennie waits for the new hat from her aunt, she imagines how beautiful it will be. The plain straw hat with the simple ribbon that she unwraps is a source of disappointment. Wearing it to church among the ladies with their flower-bedecked hats only makes Jennie wish that her hat, too, looked more like a flower garden. On the way home the birds that Jennie has so generously fed reward her kindness by decorating her hat with flowers, leaves, a valentine or two, and even a nest with baby birds. Recalling a time not so long ago when ladies wore hats, the transformation of Jennie's hat still has relevancy today. The child who is determined to find a way to beautify the drab will be inspired by Jennie's tenacity. Keats' collage illustrations take on a deeper hue in this new imprint. The bright yellow is more golden and pinks have a more dusky tone. Rather that detract from the original, this new palette is reminiscent of a Victorian greeting card. If you have never owned this classic story or need to replace a well-worn copy, this new edition will fit the bill. 2003 (1966), Viking,  Beverley Fahey

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Meet the Author

Ezra Jack Keats (1916–1983) is the Caldecott Medal winning author of The Snowy Day, which broke ground in 1962 as one of the first picture books for young children to portray a realistic, multi-cultural urban setting. Since its initial publication, The Snowy Day has come to be regarded as both a children’s classic and one of the most important picture books ever written/illustrated. Ezra Jack Keats’ legacy lives on in the popularity of his most famous character, Peter—the star of The Snowy Day, Whistle for Willie, Peter's Chair, A Letter to Amy, Goggles, and others. Visit the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation online at www.ezra-jack-keats.org